Fish Facts » Flounder
Description
Flounder (alternative name Fluke) is an ocean dwelling flatfish that are located off the Canadian and U.S. east coast of the Northern Atlantic, and the Pacific Ocean, in coastal lagoons and estuaries. There are a number of geographical and taxonomical species of flounder to which: Platichthys flesus is located in European waters. Summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus, Southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma and Winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus are located in the Western Atlantic. Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus is common off the coast of Japan.
Habitat
Flounder ambush their prey, feeding at soft muddy area of the sea bottom, near bridge piles, docks, artifical and coral reefs and have been also found at the deepest depths of the ocean, at bottom of the Mariana trench, the deepest known location on Earth's crust. Swiss scientist Jacques Piccard and US Navy Lt. Don Walsh reached a depth of 10,916 m (35,813 ft) and were surprised to discover sole or flounder about 30 cm (1 ft) long, and shrimp there.
Diet
Their diet consists mainly of fish spawn, crustaceans, polychaetes and small fish.
Size
Flounder grow to a length of typically 12.5 cm to 37.5 cm (5 to 15 in) and can sometimes grow to as large as 45 cm (3 ft) in length. Its width is about half its length.
Source(s)
Wikipedia
Source(s) on the web
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flounder